


The Morning After

by AnOverture



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-01-06
Packaged: 2019-03-01 00:01:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13282650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnOverture/pseuds/AnOverture
Summary: You and Merle wake up in your bed after a drunken night together and must deal with trying to get Merle out before your roommate knows he’s there.





	The Morning After

You woke up and before opening your eyes were aware of the way Merle’s chest felt pressed against your back and how warm it made you. You could smell his skin and feel the way you had both sweated overnight in the places you were touching one another. One of the few drawbacks of sharing a bed with a man like Merle who felt like he had to touch you anywhere he could at any possible moment.

You opened your eyes and stared at the wall directly in front of you. A dull headache throbbed at the back of your eyes and you shut them quickly to avoid the light causing you further pain. The two of you must have had a bit too much to drink last night. Pieces of last night came back to you. Taking shots of whiskey because Merle said it’d be cheaper and more fun. Switching to beer halfway through the night after you made a joke off hand about whiskey dick that Merle took a bit too seriously. Letting Merle push you into the wall of the bar and push up your shirt and grope your breasts and ass while making out sloppily until the bartender said you two had to go home. Stumbling into the back of Daryl’s old four door and having him yell at you two when Merle started to dry hump you in the backseat. Daryl groaning in disgust and you laughing a little too loudly when Merle said he could watch and having him drop you off at your place because he didn’t want to deal with your two drunk assess anymore.

‘Shit, that’s right,’ you thought to yourself. You had come back to your place last night instead of going back to Merle’s like you usually did. You hoped it was early enough that you could get Merle out of here before your roommate woke up. Not that you were embarrassed of being with Merle, in fact you loved being out in public with him, but you know your roommate would pass judgement on your choice of partner. You didn’t want to deal with that this morning.

You wiggled away from Merle and sat on the edge of your bed with a sigh. You stood up and slipped on a comfortable shirt and a pair of sweatpants, so you could go grab coffee. You were about to slip out the door when you heard a grunt behind you. You turned around to see Merle, one eye opened, one eye squeezed tightly shut in an obvious hangover face, looking at you. He was half asleep and clearly had too much to drink last night, the combo making him look oddly adorable to you.

“Mornin’ sunshine,” you said to Merle. You tried to grin at him, but that made your head throb and you had to stop and grimace with your eyes closed.

Merle mumbled something that sounded like “mornin’” and then laid his head back down. You walked over to his bed and nudged his chest with your hand, making him grunt.

“Ya gotta get up, baby,” you said softly. “I’ll get you coffee. My roommate’ll flip if she sees you're here.”

“Fuck ‘er,” Merle mumbled. He rolled over onto his back and rubbed his hand over his face with a groan. “I feel like shit.”

“You look like shit, too,” you said with a smirk that hurt your head less. You walked out of your room before Merle had time to respond to your comment.

You walked out of your bedroom and made it to the kitchen. There was a pot of coffee already made. You had a moment of happiness before you realized that must mean your roommate was already up. You looked at the clock above your stove - 10:30am. You quickly grabbed two mugs and filled them up, trying to get some and go back to your room before anyone saw you. When you turned around from the counter you almost ran smack into your roommate’s boyfriend, Greg.

“Shit, sorry. Mornin’,” you said to him, trying not to spit any coffee.

He looked at you oddly for a moment and then said morning back. Why was he always over here? Didn’t he have his own place? How could one human be so boring? Why did he always look so judgemental? You usually had very little patience for him, and now with your hangover making you really had no tolerance for him.

Your roommate came out from her room a few seconds later, already dressed and showered and clearly ready to get something done today. Of course she was. Always so perfect.

“Why do you have two cups of coffee?” She asked you, her face in her usual judgemental scowl. 

“Good morning to you, too!” You said sarcastically. You went to walk past her and back to your room right when Merle walked out of your room and into the bathroom across the hall. Maybe they didn’t see him, maybe I’m safe, you thought to yourself hopefully.

Of course they saw him.

“Who is that?” You're roommate asked, her eyebrow raised and her arms crossed over her chest. She looked from you to her boyfriend and scoffed.

“That’s Merle,” you answered. You continued to walk back to your room. You were too hungover to deal with this shit. You had a killer headache and could vaguely felt like you wanted to vomit and just wanted to go try to see if you could keep liquid down in the privacy of your room.

“And who the hell is Merle?” She asked.

Her tone of voice and the judgmental look on her face were pissing you off.

“It's that guy,” you said, gesturing with your cup to Merle who had walked into the kitchen from the bathroom.

“Why is he in my kitchen?” She asked you.

“Our kitchen,” you corrected her with a twitch of your lip. “I don’t know. Ask him.”

She widened her eyes at you and looked at Merle quickly, her eyes dropping the second his met hers. You couldn’t help but smile to yourself. People finding Merle terrifying always amused you.

“I, I, like, I mean,” your roommate stuttered, making your grin widen. “Merle, how are you?”

“I’m a’ight,” Merle grumbled with a nod of his head. “Better once I get coffee.”

“So, why are you in my kitchen,” your roommate asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

“‘Cause I was in her bedroom. Then I had ta pee. Then I heard voices, so I came in here,” Merle said, a smirk on the corner of his lips. You rolled your eyes and smirked back. Sarcastic asshole.

“Why were you in her room?” Greg asked quietly. He had sat down at the kitchen table and was looking at Merle nervously.

Merle looked at Greg like it was the dumbest question he’d ever heard, and to be fair, it was a dumb question. Merle rubbed his hand over his face before responding with his most sarcastic tone.

“‘Cause we had a sleepover,” Merle drawled. “One of them adult kinds. With lots a pillow bitin’ an’ a bit a’ skin slappin’.

“What the fuck, Y/N?” Your roommate cut in, her voice raising. “He's like twice your age and I'm pretty sure I've bought weed off him like nine times.”

“Me too,” Greg piped up.

“Shut up, Greg,” you snapped back. Fuck you hated that little turd.

“Don't yell at Greg! He's not the one sleeping with some old man,” your roommate snapped back, taking a step towards Greg to seemingly defend him.

“Whatever. We’ve all bought weed off Merle. I don't need this,” you said. You looked at Merle who stood up against the wall staring at all three of you.

His eyes were wide and he was looking at you with mild interest. Merle was used to getting flack for everything he did. He wasn't surprised he was getting it for being with you, although he was surprised who it was coming from - your roommate and one of the most boring looking men he’d ever seen.

You jerked your head to your room to gesture for Merle to come with you and then started back towards your bedroom.

You heard your roommate scoff and mumble something that sounded like “disgusting” under her breath and turned around and glared at her. You couldn't take it anymore.

“What?” You yelled. “What exactly is the problem? Do you have a problem with me spending the night with some guy? I'm single. He's single. What's the issue?”

“You had drunken sex with some drug dealer last night!” You roommate shouted.

Fuck. She had a point.

“So?” You shouted back after a moment’s pause. “I've known Merle for years. He's a good guy!”

“He sells drugs! He's old!” She shouted.

“I ain't that old!” Merle said, not trying to defend the fact that he did sell drugs. He had his hands up and an irritated look on his face. “‘Sides, like she said, known her for years. So what if she needs a lil’ somethin’ somethin’ from time to time. We always got along.”

“Clearly,” Greg said. Merle jerked his head over and glared at Greg, who started slightly and slumped back farther into his chair.

“I don't want a drug dealer in my apartment,” your roommate said, her face an almost comical scowl.

“Fine,” you shot back,your headache not so intense it made it difficult for you to see. “I'll fuck him at his house.”

“I don't need to hear about it!” You roommate said, pulling an exaggerated face of disgust. That set you off. You had to listen to her and her boyfriend have boring ass sex night after night through the thin walls of this apartment, not a thing you were happy about, and she couldn't deal with you bringing a guy over once? No. Not okay.

“What?” You said through clenched teeth. You handed Merle your cups and pushed him back to your room. He widened his eyes and listened; he'd never seen you this mad. “You don't want to hear about how well Merle fucks me? Huh? How big and thick his cock is? Huh? And how good it feels inside me?”

“Oh my god! Shut up!” You roommate said, throwing her hands over her ears and looking at Greg. “Make her stop!”

Greg just stared at you wide eyed.

“Do you not want to here how he always makes sure I cum with his head between my legs multiple times before he fucks me? Ya don’t wanna know how he fucks me so deep and so good? Ya don’t wanna know how he tastes? Huh? Fuckin’ amazing.” You were too mad to care how dirty you sounded now. If your roommate wanted to get involved in your personal affairs, she could get involved in everything. You looked over at Greg who looked at you with his mouth open like a dead fish. “You ever eat her pussy, Greg? Huh?”

Greg didn't say anything.

“Doesn't sound like it,” you said with a snarl. You jerked your head towards your roommate. “I have to hear you guys have boring sex every single night through these damn thin walls. I get laid once and I catch a ration of shit for it?”

“That's different,” you roommate said, she looked embarrassed. She must not have known you could here her and Greg.

“How is it different?” You asked, waiting for the answer you already knew was coming.

“Greg and I are together. You and Merle are just…” she trailed off.

“Just what?” You asked. It was your turn to throw your arms over your chest and look judgmental. “Just fucking? Is that what you were gonna say? We just fuck?”

“Well, you do, don't you?” She mumbled, losing her resolve.

“So what?” You snapped back. “I like fucking Merle! I came five times last night. FIVE.” You said, holding fingers of your and up to your roommate and Greg’s faces. “How many times did you cum last night, huh?”

When neither of them spoke you just scoffed and turned back to walk to your room.

You could hear them talking about you in the other room but you didn't care. You could feel the faint throbbing of your headache behind your eyes but you didn't care. You walked into your room and slammed the door behind you.

Merle was sitting on your bed, a cup of coffee in his hand. When he saw the look in your eyes he put the cup down and put his arms out to you.

“No,” you said with a huff. You were aware of how juvenile you sounded, but you didn’t care.

“Come ‘ere, baby girl,” Merle drawled and nodded at you for you to come over to him.

“Why did you have to say that? Couldn’t you just say you spent the night?” You snapped at Merle. You weren’t mad at him, and it wasn’t fair to be snapping at him, you were just mad and Merle happened to be there.

“Me?” Merle said with a scoff and a raise of his eyebrows. “I ain’t the one out there shoutin’ details.”

“Fuck you,” you said with a murderous glare in your eyes. 

Merle just sighed and put his arms down. He slumped down farther into your bed and took a sip of his coffee. You picked up your cup from the nightstand and took a sip, still glaring at Merle. The two of you looked at one another for a few moments. You glaring at Merle. Merle looking back at you in stoic silence. You studied the lines on his face. The way his jaw clenched when he swallowed his coffee. How his deep blue eyes studied yours and you let your stubborn resolve falling.

You put your cup back on the nightstand and walked up to him. You wrapped your arms around his neck and fell into his chest, letting his arm wrap around you and hold you. Merle put his cup on the floor and wrapped his other arm around you. Your breasts were pressed into his head, something Merle would usually make a comment about, but he knew you were upset. The second you felt Merle tighten his arms around you, all the anger flooding through your veins fell out and was replaced by a deep need to cry. You were racked with big loud sobs as you cried into Merle’s arms. Your body slumped against his and you ended up in his lap, your knees were tucked up almost to your stomach and your head rested against his chest. 

“I got ya,” Merle mumbled, his voice calm and deep.

You let yourself cry for a few moments before you calmed down. When you felt the last of your sobs leave you, you took a deep breath and looked up at Merle. His face was stoic. His deep blue eyes studied yours.

“I'm sorry,” you said, still sniffling.

“Ain't nothing to be sorry ‘bout, sugar,” Merle said, his arms running up and down your body sweetly.

“You didn't need to be dragged into that,” you said through deep breaths. “And I'm sorry I snapped at you.”

You tried to laugh it off but had to stop yourself when you felt yourself want to cry again.

“Ain’t gotta say sorry. What's wrong, baby doll?” Merle asked, studying your face. “I'm shit with feelings, but I don't like how upset ya are right now.”

“I don't know. I just don't like being judged in my own house,” you said. That was half the truth. The other half had to do with loneliness, and how aware you were of your own whenever you saw couples, and wanting to feel needed, and a deep sorrow that you had yet to fully understand yourself.

“Fuck them people,” Merle said. He removed one of his hands from your body to brush the hair out of your face. “I promise I ain't never gonna sell ‘'em bud again.”

You laughed softly and shook your head. “Thanks, Merle. That's really sweet.”

“I ain't a romantic, an’ I'm not a relationship guy, but ya know I care ‘bout ya right?” Merle asked. His face was solemn, an expression you weren't used to seeing on Merle’s face.

You nodded yes at Merle, unsure if you could speak without crying. You reached out to place one hand on Merle’s chest. You leaned in to brush your lips softly against his, a move that would usually cause Merle to pull you in deeper, but he just brushed your lips back. His movements were caring, slow, delicate even. You'd never seen Merle like this.

Then again, Merle had never seen you like this. When the two of you were together, you felt strong, secure, safe. You were confident and could speak your mind. He wasn't used to seeing you judged and under attack from people. He'd never seen you frail before, and it affected him more than he liked to admit. He was grappling with his own emotions.

He was angry at your roommate and her boyfriend. Scared that you crying had more to do with him than you were letting on. Upset that if he left, you may have to endure more verbal lashings from the people in the apartment. And he felt a strong want to protect you from that. It was the desire to keep you safe that worried him the most. Merle didn't want to care about anyone other than his brother, especially not a beautiful young woman he'd only hold back and hurt.

Merle lifted you further into his lap so he could hold you as he stood up and then laid you back in bed. The tenderness of his movements coupled with the strength of him made you smile. 

“Ya need to get some more sleep, pretty girl,” Merle said, kissing you on the temple. “I'll call ya later, yah?”

“No,” you whined, reaching out to grab Merle’s rough calloused hand in yours. “I don't want you to go.”

Merle smiled down at you. He squeezed your hand in his and then sighed. He couldn't leave you when you were like this. He let go of your hand so he could crawl into bed behind you and pull you into his chest. You settled in deeper, your ass pushed against his crotch, your legs tangled in his, and your hands settled on his arm that laid above your head and the hand that rested on your hip.

The two of you laid there for a few minutes, listening to one another breathe and the muffled sound of your roommate and her boyfriend still talking in the kitchen before Merle broke the silence.

“Five times?” Merle asked. You couldn't see his face, but you knew he had on a very smug grin on his face.

“Yeah,” you said, unable to stop grinning yourself. “Five times.”

Merle chuckled to himself and then went quiet for about half a minute before asking “an’ ya like the way my big, thick cock feels inside ya?”

You could feel yourself blushing and couldn't help but wiggle in Merle’s arms a bit. Why did you have to shout those things to your roommate?

“Huh? Ya like takin’ ol’ Merle’s big dick?” Merle teased. He was running his hand up and down your side lightly, trying to find your ticklish spot. When he found it, he ran his fingers quickly along the sensitive skin lightly, making you jump and wiggle more in his arms.

“Stop!” You said playfully. Merle stopped before you became too breathless and you settled back into his arms. “You know I like it.”

Merle kissed the back of your neck and chuckled again before saying “I know ya do. Just like hearin’ ya say it.”

You rolled your eyes and smiled. “Can't believe you call yourself ‘ol’ Merle’,” you teased. “You're such a nerd.”

“Nerd that made ya cum five times,” Merle quipped back.

You laughed softly and settled back into Merle’s arms. The two of you stayed like that the rest morning; joking and teasing one another until Merle had to head to work in the early afternoon. You watched him put his shoes and socks back on at the foot of your bed. When he stood to leave, he walked over to you and kissed you deeply.

“Can you call me when you're done?” You asked hopefully.

“A’course,”’ Merle answered, smiling at you.

“Bye,” you said softly, smiling at the large man still standing in your small room.

“Bye pretty girl,” Merle said before turning to leave. He shut the door lightly behind you and walked to the front door of your apartment.

You heard the front door open and Merle snap, “What ya fuckin’ lookin’ at, boy?” before the door shut and couldn't help but smile. 

You knew your roommate was going to yell at you more when she saw you again, but for right now, you were content to hide out in your room for the rest of the day until you got to see Merle again.


End file.
